Local DOLA request almost $2 million

Craig  Local government and other groups plan to apply for at least $1.9 million from the Colorado Division of Local Affairs in the agency's December grant cycle.

DOLA accepts grant requests three times each year.

Officials met Tuesday night at Craig City Hall to plan what requests they would submit for DOLA's energy impact assistance grants, which are meant to help communities expand infrastructure to meet demands from the growing energy industry.

Participants included the city of Craig, Moffat County, Craig Fire/Rescue, Colorado Northwestern Community College, Moffat County School District and Boys & Girls Club of Craig.

The county had one large project to repave 5.5 miles of County Road 7. Its request asks DOLA to fund 70 percent of the $1.5 million total projected cost.

Because of the size of the county's project, its grant application falls into DOLA's second tier for requests and necessitates a live hearing. Generally, grants in that process are approved or disapproved within about three months.

The other requests are small enough to be within DOLA's first tier, which does not require a hearing. Requests of this size are commonly settled in about a month.

The city had requests for two projects: one $220,000 project with 50 percent DOLA funding for a sand and salt storage building for the Road and Bridge Department, and the other a request for funding to renovate the Boys & Girls Club, a building owned by the city.

The Boys & Girls Club project, budgeted at $195,000 with a request for DOLA to fund 75 percent of the cost, is aimed at increasing the building's security.

The renovation would add 830 square feet to the front of the building, including a covered porch, entry foyer, a new front desk and an extra meeting room. There also is $10,000 set aside for security cameras.

The new entryway will include a secure second entrance into the main area so Boys & Girls Club employees can control who gets in and out.

The club hopes to collect donations to fund its 25 percent share of the project.

The Moffat County School District aims to put a new roof on Ridgeview Elementary and may seek funding from DOLA to finance it. The current roof has been there for about 30 years, Finance Director Mark Rydberg said, and the district would like to replace it with the best roof it can afford.

School District officials have not committed to applying for a DOLA grant, but have until Dec. 1 to file the application. Rydberg said he expects the request to fall within the state's lower Tier 1 category.